


Romancing the Wolf

by wolfiefics



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Lives, M/M, and is as usual up to mischief, deathly hallows deaths never happened, paranoia runs rampant in werewolf minds, romance novels, sneaky slytherins being not so sneaky as they think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 07:33:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20224162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfiefics/pseuds/wolfiefics
Summary: Severus has a new sideline job writing lurid romance novels for the gay wizard community. He's also starting to romance a certain werewolf. Is it coincidence that Remus is similar to the characters in the books?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written at the prompting of the ladies of the Slytherin group back in 2011. I recently found it scrolling through my old posts on Insane Journal, having forgotten I wrote the darned thing. So I'm posting here, hopefully for posterity. It's pure fluff. Not a serious thing about it. Ignores all canon. No one dies except Voldemort, and everyone's happy about that.

"Severus?" Albus Dumbledore walked in, though in actuality walking for Albus was bouncing for the rest of the world. Beneath the white beard and twinkling eyes beat the heart of a hopeless romantic and scheming nosy-body. Unfortunately for the owner of the office Dumbledore just wandered into, both of those traits were going to cause him all sorts of mayhem.

Dumbledore poked his head into Snape's private storeroom and found it empty as well. "Severus?" he called again, his cheerfulness enough to make anyone that early in the morning want to hex the old schemer into next week. "Well, Severus, my boy, where...have...you...oh my." Dumbledore happened to glance down at the parchment strewn all over Snape's desk and began to blush. If Snape had been in his office, he'd have been impressed at the color. 

Dumbledore continued to surreptitiously (and guiltily, it must be admitted) read the parchment piece on top of the stack, then coughed, looked around and brushed it aside casually to continue reading the next page. By the time the old wizard finished the stack, he was propped in Snape's comfy office chair, feet up on the desk and his face so scarlet that his beard had a pink tinge to it.

"Well, well, Severus," the old man chuckled in an evil enough manner that it would have given He-Who-Is-Pushing-Up-Daisies shivers. "I knew you had hidden talents and depths, but I never dreamed...." The crafty old wizard's face took on a pensive expression and with a wave of his wand he made duplicates of the pages he just read. Departing as quickly, and bouncily, as he arrived, Dumbledore made quick his escape with his new found treasure.

Snape entered his office a half an hour later from an early morning detention, having no clue his private papers had just been pilfered for Albus Dumbledore's latest nefarious plot to give him an apoplexy.

* * *

"You did what?" Dumbledore had the grace to actually look abashed as his Potions Master came unglued in his office. It was admittedly rather devious of him to do this without Severus' knowledge.

"I have a friend in publishing and she took a look, liked it and wants the rest for publication." Dumbledore placed his folded hands on his desk and presented a pacifying front, under the impression that Snape wouldn't hex him if he looked non-threatening. He was quite relieved to realize he was correct when the lanky, black-haired man deflated into the chair across the desk and glared daggers at him instead.

"You cannot be serious, Headmaster."

"I'm very serious. It's entertaining work, Severus. I had no idea you could write so, erm, lively." Dumbledore stumbled over the description of the nature of Snape's writing.

Severus rolled his eyes. "You," he said crisply as he stood up and began pulling things out of the satchel he'd taken to carrying around of late, "are a meddling, interfering, nosy busybody who's going to get his one day and I hope I'm there for it." Severus handed over a string tied bundle of papers and Dumbledore took them eagerly. 

"You're finished?" the old wizard asked excitedly.

"You read part of the last revision," Severus sniffed disdainfully.

Dumbledore started to read and then shot the younger man a guilty look. “May I?”

“Yes, yes, but refrain from gushing.” Severus waved a hand at him languidly. He exited, leaving Dumbledore immersed in lurid prose.

* * *

Remus Lupin yawned and leaned against the door frame as he watched his best friend careen around the room frantically. “Did I-yes. Where did I put-there it is.”

“Sirius, we're going to Diagon Alley,” Remus commented drily. “Not another continent.”

Sirius paused and glowered at his friend. “I'm finally a free man, with no faked death or framed crimes hanging over my head. Let me fuss over my grand entrance, dammit.”

Remus held up his hands in amused surrender and went to the front door of Number 12 Grimmauld Place to wait. Once the two of them were finally underway, Sirius became more nervous as they approached The Leaky Cauldron. They pushed the door open and the tavern went silent.

The old bartender, Tom, peered at Sirius and Remus for a moment, before giving a welcoming grunt and slamming two pints of ale down on the bar. “On the house,” he told them. The tavern occupants immediately began their conversations once more.

Sirius looked startled and Remus suppressed a grin. They sat at the bar, drinking and chatting with various people. Sirius relaxed, seeing that his reception wasn't going to be bad. Finally, the two men got up and excused themselves.

“Gringotts first, Madam Malkins second, and then where?” asked Remus as the brick wall to Diagon Alley shuffled open to form the archway.

Sirius pursed his lips a moment in thought. “I don't know,” he admitted. “Let's just window shop.” And they did just that.

As the two men wandered from shop to shop, they laughed and joked. Remus watched Sirius get his confidence in the world back. He turned to speak with a witch who'd been a friend of his father's when Sirius' bark of laughter made him turn around.

“Tenebra Tywysog. What the hell kind of name is that?” 

Remus leaned forward to peer at what Sirius was looking at. The cover was racy, lurid and one of the men involved in the overblown embrace looked vaguely like himself. 

Sirius nudged him playfully. “You modeling for romance novels to make ends meet, now?”

“It does look a lot like me,” Remus conceded. A hand reached in, grabbed five copies from the stack in the window and disappeared. The novel was obviously selling. Intrigued, Remus went in to take a look. Sirius followed, still chortling.

They wandered around and Sirius bought a copy of Destiny's Moon. “It's even about a werewolf!” he all but crowed as they headed back to The Leaky Cauldron, Sirius nimbly dodging people as he flipped through the novel.

“Gay romance novels?” Sirius asked when they got back to Grimmauld Place. “When did our world become so open minded?”

Remus paused a moment. “It hasn't, entirely, which is probably why that book is published under an obvious penname.”

Sirius tossed the book on a chair, his interest in it distracted by the rest of his purchases. When Sirius finally wandered upstairs to get ready for dinner with Harry, Ron and Hermione, Remus picked up the book and settled down to look through it.

He was curious more than anything. It was sure to be absolute garbage but it was something new. He was only fifth chapter in when Sirius came downstairs, ready to go. 

“Take it with you,” Sirius told him when Remus set the book down. “The author deserves the pay for having the balls to publish that. It's not like I'm going to read it.” 

Remus laughed, but pocketed the book and followed Sirius out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Six months later found Remus invited over for Guy Fawkes Night at the Weasley home. Though technically a Muggle holiday, wizards still celebrated it since Fawkes was a wizard. The bonfire was lit and the effigy was burning brightly. As everyone talked and laughed, conversation turned to other things.

“I'm actually anxious for everyone to leave,” confessed Molly Weasley, the family matriarch, to Remus as the hanging effigy caught ablaze in a shower of sparks.

Remus was surprised. Molly was hospitable in the extreme. “Why's that?”

“I'm reading a new book and I can't put it down,” she confessed with a flush. “Its rather racy, I admit, and not in the usual style but it's a guilty pleasure.”

Intrigued, Remus smiled. “Who's it by?”

“Tenebra Tywysog.” Molly blushed a bright red to contrast with her hair.

“Ah oui!” Fleur Weasley, Bill's wife, was standing near Molly and overheard the exchange. “I find it very good also!” she enthused. “You do not find such writings in the wizard world often, non? Scandalous, spicy, but oh so entertaining, n'est-ce pas?”

“You mean the romance novel?” asked Remus in amusement.

“Oh, they are more than that, Remus!” interjected Hermione from where she'd wandered over. “Gay and lesbian literature has been underground for so much longer in the wizarding world than in the Muggle world. Tenebra Tywysog, whoever she is, is breaking the barriers down one novel at a time.”

“And you like the idea of homosexual sex?” Remus inquired carefully.

“Men fantasize of women with women all ze time,” sniffed Fleur disapprovingly, “but women cannot fantasize of men with men?”

“I didn't say that,” Remus countered, “I just asked if you liked it.”

“Of course we like it, Remus,” remonstrated Hermione, “otherwise we wouldn't be buying it. And it's not pornography really. She treats it like any other romantic novel. It has a plot, character development and a happy ending. It has a romantic flavor of two people meeting who are destined for each other.”

“So,” Remus said slowly, “you're buying it because it fulfills some part of your personal fantasies, it's entertaining and a good way to relax without overtaxing your brain with deep thoughts.”

“We become emotionally involved,” agreed Hermione with an approving nod to him as if he were a student who'd just passed his NEWTs. 

“Arthur thinks it's rubbish.” Molly leaned in to whisper. “I have to change the cover otherwise he'll complain.”

Hermione grinned. “Ron asked how I could read anything that had such a lurid cover.”

“Bill asked me if I was thinking of making 'im enact scenes. 'e looked quite 'orrified,” laughed Fleur.

Remus gave a weak smile.

“Remus, do you find it offensive?” Molly turned to him. It took her sometime to forgive him for not telling her and Tonks that he was gay. Now she, and everyone else, seemed to disregard it, just a 'Remus thing'.

“Offensive? No, no, I'm not offended,” Remus assured them with a self-conscious laugh. “I'm just bemused is all. The most interest anyone has in my sexuality is disapproval or discomfort. For it suddenly to be acceptable due to a romance novel is just a little unnerving.”

“Have you read them?” asked Fleur eagerly. 

“I started on the first one. Sirius bought it on a whim when it first came out. How many are there?”

“The latest one starts a new storyline, The Wand of Love Trilogy,” Hermione told him. “You have Destiny's Moon?” Remus nodded. “The sequel to that was The Scent of the Wolf, about the first hero's pack rival and his love.”

“Er. Pack rival?” Remus wished he hadn't asked, as all three women immediately launched into a description of the plot of both novels. Molly hurried into the house and returned with the second book, admonishing Remus to be careful with it and not bend the pages.

When Remus got back to Grimmauld Place, his head was spinning. Sirius had gone to America with Harry and Remus had the monstrosity of a house to himself. With Kreacher dead (head mounted on the wall with his ancestors as he'd begged Harry to do), there wasn't a house elf to worry about bothering him.

Remus settled in his chair, feet tucked under him and he flipped open the first novel. It was nearing dawn when he turned the final page. His head was spinning. It was a about a gay werewolf and his wizard lover. Merlin's white underpants, could someone outside Sirius, the Trio, the Weasleys and Nymphadora Tonks know?

Remus got up and paced. The description was very close to Remus' build and coloring, even the graying of his hair and the amber tint of his eyes. While not as forceful a personality as the hero, Remus knew that Moony was very similar in attitude to the hero's werewolf form.

His thoughts a tangled snarl of worry, Remus managed to get to sleep. As soon as he woke up, he ate quickly and started on the book Molly loaned him. While there was little physical resemblance, personality-wise the love interest of the main hero was almost spot on. Bookish, quiet, unassuming and mild-mannered were easily all words that could have described one Remus John Lupin. 

The two stories centered around a werewolf pack recovering from its near destruction by its former leader who allowed it's exploitation by dark wizards. These dark wizards perverted the pack for their own use and the two heroes of the book were attempting to save the pack and regain the trust of wizard kind once more. The parallels between the stories and recent events with Lord Voldemort and Fenrir Greyback made Remus shiver. Who would know how close to the truth these stories were?

Only an Order member, Remus surmised, but who? As no one else saw the parallels between the real world and the books, Remus kept his speculations to himself. After a time, he set the worry aside. It was coincidence, he assured himself, or the author took inspiration from what she read in the Daily Prophet and other wizarding newspapers. After all, information was rampant after the war when there was little to stem the tide of information, false or true.

He, Severus, Dora and many others were reported as dead or missing for days following the Battle at Hogwarts. It was next to impossible to discover what all had been reported. Thus assured, Remus relaxed, returned the book to Molly, continued watching Grimmauld Place for Sirius until the other man returned and helping Interim Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt organize the new Division of Werewolf Affairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus Apparated just inside the wards surrounding Number 12 Grimmauld Place seven days before the full moon. Apparating with a cauldron full of Wolfsbane Potion wasn't the easiest thing in the world but Severus prided himself on the smooth landing. Not a drop spilled.

He rapped smartly on the door, knowing that Lupin should be there. He hummed to himself while he waited. He'd just finished the first draft of the second novel in his new trilogy and was curious about Dumbledore's reaction. After all, Severus reasoned to himself, Albus was the basis for the second book's hero. Knowing the barmy old codger, he'd be flattered and thrilled.

“Hullo, Severus. Wolfsbane?” greeted Remus, brown eyes widening a moment when he opened the door and recognized his visitor.

“Yes, new batch. It's time to start it already.” Severus held up the cauldron, the stasis charm around it giving the entire cauldron an odd baby blue glow.

Remus sighed but stepped aside to let his guest in. “I swear the month gets shorter,” he complained good-naturedly. “I do appreciate it, however.”

Severus nodded. Now that he wasn't under the stress of constantly being on guard and keeping up certain appearances, Remus had to admit Severus was becoming an attractive man. Oh, he wasn't movie star handsome like Sirius but in his own understated way, Severus had great appeal to Remus.

“Stay for dinner?” Remus asked impulsively.

Severus shot Remus a startled look and then seemed to think about it. “Why not?” he finally shrugged, setting the cauldron down on the long table in the cavernous kitchen. 

Remus grinned. “Excellent. I'm starting to get a little bored here all by myself every night.”

“Run out of books to read?” Severus arched an eyebrow in curious surprise when Remus blushed.

“Oh no, plenty of those. It's just-” He finished his sentence off with a shrug. “Want some company, you know?”

“Yes,” Severus conceded. “Spinner's End gets that way sometimes as well.”

“Spinners End?” Remus' memory gave a jolt. Where had he heard that name?

“Yes, it's the neighborhood that my childhood home is located. It's an old Muggle factory town, the primary occupation before the industrial revolution brought in machines was weaving. The spinners who spun the yarn for cloth making lived in my area of town,” explained Severus, ladling a portion of the potion into the mug Remus handed him.

“Ah, I see, thus Spinners End.” Remus drained the mug. “Disgusting but I”m grateful.”

“Referring to the potion, I assume, and not the company?”

Remus laughed. “Never the company, Severus. I was having cockaleekie soup and fresh bread.”

“The road to a man's stomach,” quoted Severus, sitting down at the table. He gave in to his curiosity as Remus waved his wand so that two bowls, two spoons, and two plates floated to their places on the table. “You blushed when you said you were reading. Why?”

Remus flushed again and Severus arched another eyebrow. “I, uh, don't know if you heard any rumors about me, but I'm-”

“Gay as a picnic basket,” noted Severus, adjusting his utensils. “Not an uncommon occurrence in the Order, you know.”

“You mean Dumbledore?” asked Remus, carrying the large tureen of soup to the table while Severus sliced a loaf of fresh bread.

“And myself. Is Black your lover then?”

Remus choked. “Sirius? Gay? Hardly.” Remus' lips twisted. “He doesn't care if I am, just as long as I'm aware that _he_ isn't.”

Severus laughed and Remus felt a strange warmth steal through his body at the sound. “I've never heard you laugh like that.”

Severus ladled soup into his bowl as he responded, “Like how?”

Remus shrugged, suddenly self-conscious. “Carefree, I guess. Open.”

“So you're reading gay books.” Severus directed the conversation back to it's original topic and Remus flushed again.

“Er, yes,” he conceded.

“I take it they are good, then.”

“Very good, actually.” Remus quickly shoved a spoonful of hot soup in his mouth before he could humiliate himself more and scalded his tongue.

“That new author everyone's on about?” Severus blew on his spoonful of soup to cool it off a bit before he sipped at it.

“Yes.” Remus got up to get a drink. “Juice? Water?”

“Any soda? I'm a caffeine junkie.”

Remus grinned at the phrase 'caffeine junkie' and pulled out two bottles of the fizzy drink. “Don't tell Sirius I have these. He disapproves of them.”

Severus snorted, popped the lid and guzzled. “Mmm, better. All I've had today is tea in Minerva's office.”

The conversation, to Remus' immense relief, turned from his reading material to the hunt for a replacement potions master. Severus agreed to take the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts for two years to prove the curse broken in exchange for full retirement benefits. Horace Slughorn refused adamantly to return to Hogwarts as its potions master.

“I thought about suggesting you for DADA and myself in potions but I'm afraid I'll slip back into old habits,” Severus explained. “I've asked for my office to be moved upstairs closer to the classroom, et cetera.”

“Good for you, Severus,” commended Remus. 

Soon they were clearing up the dinner dishes and Severus prepared to depart. “This was pleasant,” he told Remus. “I suggest we do this more often. Solidarity and all that.”

Remus blinked in surprise and then smiled warmly. “I'd like that, Severus.”

Cauldron black eyes stared at him for a moment, as if evaluating his sincerity, before Severus gave a quick nod. “Next weekend, Friday evening, at Spinner's End? Or is lunch preferable on Saturday?”

“Dinner is good,” Remus told him and Severus strode out the door, leaving Remus standing in the foyer in bemusement. “I think I've just agreed to a date,” he said out loud.

* * *

Severus opened the door Friday evening and Remus was shocked at what a mess he looked. It was two days before the full moon so Remus was twitchy under the skin, but Snape looked like he hadn't slept since Remus saw him last. 

“I brought wine?” Severus groaned and Remus smiled. “You forgot, didn't you?”

“Yes, yes, come in, I've been terribly distracted. It's Friday already?” 

Remus stepped into the house and looked around. The only Muggle houses he'd ever been in were his maternal grandparents as a child, Lily's parents for her and James' wedding and twice to the Dursley home where Harry used to live. Technically, he mused to himself, this wasn't a Muggle home. Severus lived here alone and he was a wizard.

There were boxes everywhere. “Packing?”

“To go back to Hogwarts, yes.” Severus ran a hand through his long black hair, revealing a few strands of glistening silver here and there. “I've been working on something else, though. Forgive me. Let's keep the wine for another time and go out.”

Remus followed the taller man into a cramped sitting room that had shelves floor to ceiling filled with books. “Fancy that,” the werewolf said wandering over to view some of the titles. “Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan? Francis Bacon's Essays? The Heart of Midlothian by Scott? Quite an eclectic collection!”

“Feel free to browse and borrow. I'll run upstairs, clean up and change.” Remus listened as Severus' footsteps pattered up creaky stairs. Moments later he heard water running and tried to suppress the imagery of Severus' lean, naked form stepping under a heated sluice of water to run down to-

He groaned, grabbed a translation of Gilgamesh and tried to distract his thoughts. Thoughts he entertained all week long. Finding a partner in bed wasn't hard. Remus was attractive, more so now that he had regular meals and decent clothes to wear. He found one night stands of little interest at his age, however. He'd progressed out of sowing his wild oats and now wanted to reap the fruit of his labors, so to speak.

The evening spent with Severus Snape brought home that here, right in front of him, was a viable candidate who did not seem adverse to giving a potential relationship a chance. Yes, Remus thought, Severus might be amenable to a relationship or, at the very least, a regular shag.

“What did you find?” Remus glanced up from where he'd been staring blankly at the book while deep in thought.

“Oh, um,” Remus looked up and his mouth went dry. Severus looked fantastic. He was wearing a button up, green, short sleeved shirt and was tucking the tail into his jeans. “Something.”

Severus arched an eyebrow, well aware that his appearance was distracting the werewolf. That was the plan. “I don't recall having a book called 'Something' but I supposed it is possible.”

“Gilgamesh,” Remus blurted. “I was looking at Gilgamesh.”

“Light reading?” Severus inquired politely.

Remus' brain sputtered to a halt and died. “Er.”

“I see.” Severus took the book from him. “The local pub has the best ale-battered fish and chips.”

“I'm not dressed for Muggle-” Remus began and gasped when, with a wave of his birch wand, Severus transfigured his robes into a serviceable shirt and pants.

“Next time you'll know,” Severus told him. “Come on, I”m starving.”

Remus watched as Severus locked up the house and followed as the taller man led the way down a nearly deserted street that street lamps automatically turning on in the near dusk barely illuminated. “So what have you been working on that's got you so distracted?” he asked companionably, trying to ignore how well the jeans molded to Severus' arse.

“Just some writing.” The answer was off-hand and Remus immediately assumed it was professional work.

“I see.” He kept a-pace with Severus' long-legged strides and tried to think less lusty thoughts.

“I haven't been able to get this one section right and it's been driving me mad,” Severus continued. They reached the tavern and Severus opened the door, nodding and waving to men at tables who cheerfully called out to him. “Old friends of my father's before he turned into an abusive drunk.”

Remus started, surprised at the personal information so casually given. Severus really had changed. “Oh.” 

They sat at a table and the barmaid sauntered over, giving Remus an interested look. “Ta, Severus,” she greeted. “Fish and chips for you then?”

“Two, please, Lucy, and two ales. Send a round over to Drubbins and Barkley's tables too, would you? They look like it was a hell of week.” The woman winked at Severus, patted him maternally on the cheek and went back to put in their order.

“Lucy?” Remus took in the atmosphere, leaning back in the worn, but sturdy wooden chair.

“One of the few friends my mother made. It was hard for her, marrying my father.” Severus' lips twisted slightly in derision and Remus had little trouble reading between the lines. Severus' mother had been a pure blood witch who married a Muggle without a jot of magic in his bloodline. She likely had difficulty adjusting to her new life. “She's like an aunt to me, sometimes, Lucy.” 

Severus quirked a small smile at her as she set down two mugs of dark brown ale. She winked at them again and delivered the rest of her overladen tray of mugs to the other tables as Severus requested. There was a rousing cheer of thanks that Severus grinned briefly over before his attention turned to the werewolf in front of him.

“When is Black and Potter home from America?” He sipped his ale and Remus followed suit. It was a nice biting brew that appealed to Remus so close to the full moon.

“Next week.”

“Your last weekend of freedom before you have to babysit the mutt.” The sentence was said almost teasingly and without rancor toward Sirius.

“Before I find my own flat, yes.” Remus took another sip, relishing the hops flavor.

“You won't stay at Grimmauld Place then?”

Remus shook his head. “No. Harry's staying there with Sirius. They don't need me underfoot.”

Severus took a long draw from his pint and leaned back, staring at Remus with those unfathomable eyes until Remus was about to crawl out of his skin. “Stay at Spinner's End then. It sits there empty most of the year. I'm only there during summer hols and occasionally Christmas. It's hooked to the Floo Network so you can easily Floo to work and back. The locals are friendly, but the house is more isolated since most of the neighborhood has emptied in the last couple of years. There's a sturdy lock on the cellar door for full moons.”

Remus swallowed. “Are you asking me to move in?”

Severus quirked another grin, gobsmacking Remus with how much it transformed his face into something less austere. “I won't be there.”

“Then I'll do it. I could use the time to save more money.” They clinked glasses to seal the deal.

The fish and chips were excellent, Remus noted to himself, and Severus talked Remus into a round of darts as well before they walked back to Spinner's End. Severus unlocked the door and they stepped inside. The door had just shut behind Remus when Severus pushed him against the wall and sealed his lips with Remus'.

Severus' heart beat a steady tattoo. He'd been wanting to do this all night. Hell, all week since that dinner at Grimmauld Place. 'Be honest,' he admonished himself. 'You've wanted this since you started writing.'

When Remus' surprise passed and he began to respond, Severus heart beat faster for a reason other than fear of rejection. He could feel Remus' erection growing through the clothing layers. They broke for air and Severus leaned his forehead against Remus'. “If you don't want this, say it now.”

Remus pulled him close. “Not a likely scenario at this point." 

Their lips sealed frantically together again and hands began to roam. They broke apart only when they needed air to shift one or the other's clothing. Remus popped the buttons on Severus' shirt and skimmed his fingers lightly down Severus' lean body. He wasn't skinny, Remus was pleased to note. Severus Snape truly was lean and wiry, a strong frame surrounded by muscle. On a woman, he would be called 'willowy'. Remus leaned down to the join where the collarbone met the neck and laved, nipped and suckled the skin there, causing Severus to gasp in response.

Severus delighted in the rugged feel of Remus' body. Fingers ghosted over scars. The werewolf was stocky despite his tallness. A light dusting of hair was scattered over his chest and trailed down below the waistband of his transfigured clothes. Dropping to his knees, Severus opened the fly and the scent of Remus' arousal filled his nostrils. His long fingers closed around the bobbing member, stroking gently.

Peeking up to see if Remus was okay with this, Severus was startled to see Remus with his head thrown back, mouth open to make the most exciting growling sounds Severus ever heard. With a triumphant grin to himself, Severus licked his way up and down Remus engorging member, delighting in Remus' moans, pleadings, and the fists in Severus' long black hair holding him close.

"Oh Severus, please, yes." Remus never imagined dinner with Severus would wind up like this. He couldn't see anything, the sensation of Severus' mouth on his cock making his head spin dizzily. It had been so long and Severus was soooo good. Remus came in a sparkle of stars and a blinding whiteness to his vision, his shouts of completion echoing through the foyer long after. He all but collapsed, Severus catching him on the fall down. Remus could feel Severus' own hardness still encased in tight blue jeans.

He opened his amber eyes to see black-eyes staring at him in amusement. Severus was idly brushing his hands over the bulge in his jeans as he watched Remus come back to the land of the conscious. "I take it you approve," he asked huskily, throat a little raw.

Remus chuckled self-consciously. "What gave it away?"

"The near passing out was an indicator," Severus admitted, brushing a lock of graying brown hair from Remus' eyes. "I do hope in the future you'll reciprocate, but not tonight."

Remus' brow knit in confusion. "Why not?" But Severus only smiled mysteriously, pulled Remus to his feet, charmed clothes back to robes, and gently pushed the werewolf out the door. "Owl me when you're ready to move your things in. I'll help." The door closed firmly and Remus heard the lock click and the wards go up.

Remus stood there stupidly for several long minutes, the lethargy of orgasm washing away as the time passed. Confused, he stepped away from the house, but glanced back to see Severus moving around the sitting room. He glanced out the window and Remus swore he saw the trademark triumphant Snape smirk and had the feeling that the Slytherin was up to something.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry and Sirius were back in Britain for three days before Remus packed up his meager belongings. He owled Severus the night he told Sirius and Harry he was moving out, and to where. Sirius was horrified but Harry was amused. The young man mellowed quite a bit once he discovered what Severus Snape sacrificed for his childhood best friend and Harry's mother, Lily Evans Potter. Sirius, however, was inclined to hold a grudge which surprised no one.

"And don't go making snide remarks about me moving in with him," admonished Remus sternly, despite the fact that the same idea had been percolating in Remus' head for the past week. "I'm housesitting for him like I did for you and Harry until I find a decent flat at a price I can afford."

"Don't know why you have to move at all," groused Sirius. He caught the gimlet eye Remus shot his way and held his hands up in surrender. "All right, all right! I'll behave!"

Remus laughed, reached over for a leftover biscuit from the tea tray that hadn't been cleared away. "Good dog, have a biscuit." He tossed it to Sirius, who made a face at him in retaliation to the slur.

The two old friends sat in companionable silence, listening to Harry rattle around upstairs in Sirius' old room. Sirius had reluctantly, at Harry and Remus' urging, taken over the master suite, being master of the house. He'd spent a goodly amount of time and money removing items that he found associative with his parents and slowly turned the bedroom into a comfy room with sky blue walls, gold bed curtains and other odds and ends that made the room distinctly Sirius.

"You fancy him, then, Moony?" Sirius finally asked, staring into a dark corner of the room pensively. Remus choked on his tea.

"What?" he spluttered.

"You fancy him?" Sirius turned sharp grey eyes to Remus. "It's okay, y'know. Snape's gay, if you're wondering."

Remus' felt his mouth hang open in shock. "How did you-?"

Sirius looked uncomfortable as he answered. "I overheard James and Lily fighting about him once. James was jealous for some reason and she informed him that Severus had been a childhood friend and he didn't fancy her. When James challenged her about that she told him that Severus fancied boys and she'd hex him to death if he dared tease Snape about it."

Remus leaned back in his chair, thinking. "I always wondered about him and Lily. They lived in the same Muggle town, I just recently discovered. We walked by her parents house on the way to the local pub for dinner."

Sirius grinned. "Dinner at a pub? How romantic."

"Shut up," Remus rejoined without rancor. "Either way, it's none of your nevermind for now. I'll let you know when it is."

Sirius sobered up. "If he hurts you, Moony, I'll smash him." 

Remus smiled wanly. "I know you will, Padfoot, but believe it or not, I'm a big boy now. I can more than fight my own battles, in love and in war."

* * *

"I can't take the master bedroom, Severus." Remus tried to back out of the room but Severus blocked his path.

"I can't sleep there. Too many bad memories. I magically enlarged my childhood bedroom and it suits me fine when I'm here." Severus gave him a shove inside and levitated the trunk in behind him. "Your other options are the attic or the sitting room. Don't be missish."

"Missish?" Remus smiled despite himself. 

He unlocked the trunk and, with a wave of his wand, sent his possessions flying hither and yon about them to settle on the small fireplace mantle, the window sills, and a couple of nightstands and an empty bookshelf. The dresser drawers opened and closed of their own accord for various clothes while hangers hung shirts, jackets, sweaters and slacks in the wardrobe. Everything was unpacked and in place in a matter of minutes.

Unpacking done, Severus proceeded to show Remus the rest of the house, ending back in the sitting room, each comfortably ensconced on chairs that looked hellish but were like sitting on soft clouds. "Well?" Severus demanded after a few moments silence.

"Well, what?" Remus arched an eyebrow.

"No mention of what happened last time?"

Remus pursed his lips and then laughed, unable to keep a straight face. "It was brilliant," he acknowledged.

Severus' black eyes narrowed. "But?"

"There isn't one," Remus told him with a wide smile. "Just that it was brilliant and I hope there's more in the future when time permits?" He waggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively, causing Severus to smile back.

"Perhaps," Severus allowed with an inward cheer and congratulatory 'yes!'.

"So when do you go back to Hogwarts?" Remus settled back and looked around the room, familiarizing himself with everything visually, in case he needed to ask questions before Severus left for the school year.

"Tomorrow," Severus confessed. "Dumbledore asked me to return early and I agreed." 

"I see." Remus frowned. He'd hoped on a bit more alone time with Severus, to explore more of whatever was developing between them. "Well, it will be holidays before we know it. Will you return here or stay there?"

Severus shrugged, leaning back and closing his eyes. "Don't know. Depends on what's going on before then. Usually I stay there, but occasionally I've come back to spend time with my Muggle relatives when they demand it."

"You still have relatives alive?" Remus was surprised, then realized he shouldn't be. He knew absolutely nothing about Severus' paternal side. He knew of no one who did, other than the fact that Eileen Prince married Muggle Tobias Snape.

"Oh yes, my father had siblings and they had children, so I've cousins roughly my age."

"My mother was an only child," Remus confessed, "and her parents died right before I went to Hogwarts. My father's family was small to begin with and wanted nothing to do with us after I was bitten."

Severus felt anger at the injustice of that remark well inside him and he gripped the chair so hard his knuckles turned white. "They ostracized your father for not turning out a six year old boy who had the misfortune of nearly being mauled to death?"

Remus watched the furious tide of emotions swarm over Severus' face, curious at the reaction. "Yes."

"Preposterous," snorted Severus, black eyes snapping open. He rose to his considerable height. "As ludicrous as ignoring the existence of your daughter and grandson to near starvation and rags because you disapproved of her husband."

Remus quirked a grin, pleased that Severus was outraged on his behalf. "I quite agree. Now let's turn the subject matter to something personal in another way." He stood up, crossed to where Severus was glaring out the window, turned the other man's head and pulled it down for a very satisfying kiss. "Much better," he drawled.

"Have I shown you my bedroom?" Severus purred, latching onto to Remus' hand and pulling him from the sitting room and toward the stairs.

Remus laughed. "Yes, and you have to finish packing." He pulled his hands free. "I'm going to go grocery shopping. Ta!" Remus slipped out the front door, leaving a bemused Snape in the main foyer.

* * *

"You approve?" Severus idly flicked his wand in the air, creating various little sparkles in his boredom.

"Very much so. The idea of putting the next book in serialized form like when I was a child is inspired, Severus," enthused Dumbledore, sky blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Well, so as long you are not horrified at having been the model for the hero of the last book, that is all that is important." Severus gave a sniff and then sneezed, his nose slightly red.

"Off you go, my boy," Dumbledore told him, shooing him away with a wave of his hands. "Be gone! The year starts tomorrow, much to do."

"Indeed." Severus nodded perfunctorily and swept from the office. Robes billowing in a satisfactory fashion, he rushed to his office, checked on the ingredients needed for the Wolfsbane potion and scribbled another few scenes for use in the future in a rush of inspiration before the staff meeting at four. 

The staff room was crowded with the veteran and new teachers chattering at each other like magpies. There was a brief lull when Severus came in, as if the group was waiting for some cutting remark from him. When all he did was pour himself a cup of tea (one sugar, a daub of cream) and settle into his customary chair toward the back, the conversations resumed until Dumbledore called them to order.

"Welcome back, everyone. I must say it has been an exciting couple of years. I'm hoping on a boring school year," Dumbledore began.

"I second the motion!" squeaked Filius Flitwick, the Charms professor. Everyone laughed, even Severus.

"As many of you know or have heard from the grapevine, Severus has been exonerated of all charges and has agreed to teach two years running of Defense Against the Dark Arts to prove that it is no longer cursed. We still do not have a Potions instructor however. Has anyone any recommendations?"

"What about that Burke woman from that American school?" inquired the Astronomy teacher, Aurora Sinestra. "She's competent, I understand."

"Severus?" Dumbledore turned to him and arched an eyebrow.

Severus considered. "She's permanent staff at White Mountain School of Magic but she might be amenable to a change of scenery. However, they start soon as well so likely it's too late. I will Floo Carolyn and ask her if she has recommendations, instead."

"It's worth a shot," noted Maggie Arbuckle, the new Muggle Studies professor.

"No, it cannot hurt," agreed Dumbledore. "I'd rather not teach again. The dungeons are hard on my joints of late. Moving on," he continued and Severus tuned him out. After all these years he was an expert at tuning out all the but the pertinent information while his mind thought through other things. "Multitasking" his Muggle cousins called it. 

Inevitably, Severus began to contemplate Remus Lupin, or rather how Remus Lupin fit in his life as something other than a periphery irritant. Lupin was the reason Severus started writing his rather trashy but apparently best-selling works of fiction. Always someone with an active, if sometimes delusional, imagination, Severus suppressed his imagination for most of his adult years as a self-defense mechanism but as a child, his imagination was all he had. Imaginary friends, loving family and ideal life were his solace in the loneliness of an abusive household. Yet as an adult, responsibilities and mistakes large and small forced him to push his imagination to the background, favoring logic and reason to keep him alive and feisty.

And, Severus acknowledged, bitter.

Once free of those constraints, his imagination went amuck, fantasizing, dreaming and eventually writing. And part of those fantasies included one werewolf, slightly battered who might look twice at someone like Severus Snape, equally battered. Severus' dreams of him and Remus went on paper, the names changed to protect the potentially humiliated, and it looked as if everyone else shared Severus' fantasies as well, if the book sales were any indication.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, tuned in to Dumbledore's droning, found nothing scintillating or relevant, and went back to his daydreaming. He scowled to himself, as his mind turned back to its former topic. The rest of the world could fantasize all they wanted. Severus was getting rather attached to his werewolf and the rest of the world could keep their mitts to themselves.

Idly he wondered what Remus was doing now. He worked part time for the new Ministry, which was the best that Shacklebolt could wheedle out of the curmudgeons in charge of the Wizengamot. Likely, considering how late in the afternoon it was, Lupin was sitting in a chair in the sitting room, reading books. Severus grinned at the thought of Lupin reading his books. The man seemed embarrassed by it but addicted all the same. Did he recognize that he was inspiration for the first two books? Well, Remus and his alter wolf ego, Moony. 

Minerva McGonagall watched in growing alarm and shock at the myriad of expressions ghosting over Severus' face. She'd never seen his expressions so free and open to the world, even when he was a boy. Especially when he was a boy. First a frown that quickly dissolved into his familiar scowl. A soft quirk of the lips took over as his mind turned to some other topic and then a full blown mischievous grin that should be giving everyone pause. Slytherins up to mischief was nearly as bad as Gryffindors up to mischief, except Slytherins were less likely to get themselves nearly killed in the making of mischief whereas a Gryffindor jumped in feet first just to see what would happen next.

"Are there any questions or concerns?" Dumbledore's questions knocked both Severus and Minerva from their daydreaming. Blue eyes twinkled knowingly at both of them, as if the old goat knew that they had not heard a word he said. "Then its all agreed?" There were nods of the heads and a couple of "yes, excellent". "Then Severus will do his part and Minerva, you make sure everything goes smoothly."

Both professors spluttered incoherently, identical looks of horrified helplessness on their faces. "We can discuss the particulars in private then. No need to force everyone to sit through it again." Dumbledore chuckled when both Severus and Minerva relaxed.

"Students arrive tomorrow evening, everyone! Let's have a peaceful, boring school year!" he called to the departing staff. Once the door closed behind Sybil Trelawney and her multitudinous scarves, he eyeballed his two errant professors. "Busted, to use the modern vernacular."

"Yes, Headmaster," mumbled Severus. Minerva just sniffed reprovingly.

"I need you, Minerva, to contact Sirius Black to see if he's willing to take the Defense Against the Dark Arts post temporarily. Severus, I'm sorry but-"

Severus heaved a sigh. "I've got potions back."

"Move everything into one of the unused classrooms, if you prefer," Dumbledore told him. "There's no need to hide in the dungeons."

Severus waved a negligent hand. "I'll have the classes down there but keep my office upstairs, it's just easier." He turned to the door, shoulders slightly slumped before what Dumbledore said before finally sunk in. "Black? Teaching DADA?"

"Only in the interim until we can find a suitable potions master or mistress," soothed Dumbledore. "I have already promised you the post for two years."

Severus pondered for a moment and spun on his heel to face both Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. "I have a better idea, but I have to take Minerva into my confidence and she must swear on pain of excruciating death to not breath a word to anyone." 

Minvera graced him with a haughty look of disdain. "As if I gossip!"

Dumbledore knew where this was going immediately. "I'll gag her if she squeaks a hint even." Minerva shot her friend and headmaster a scathing look.

"Minerva, I am Tenebra Tywysog." Severus shared a rascally grin with Dumbledore as Minerva spluttered in disbelief then collapsed in a nearby chair from the shock. "I broke the deputy headmistress, Headmaster," Severus said somberly but with an evil grin.

"Oh my, Severus, I never-you, never in a million-I-" Minerva's brain felt like it was sliding out of her ears at the thought of Severus Snape scribbling out those lurid romance novels. She rallied quickly however. 

'The valiance of a Gryffindor,' Severus thought to himself as she straightened her spine and her hat primly. Then a thought occurred to him. "I do not need the money from the retirement now, as you can well imagine. I will teach Potions until the replacement arrives and if Black wants it, he has a job for two years."

The witch and wizard stared at him in blank amazement for a moment. "Brilliant suggestion!" crowed Dumbledore. "I never considered your royalties from the novels."

"You knew?" asked Minerva in amazement.

"Who do you think got me published?" Severus asked her drily. "Tinker Belle?" Minerva's mouth opened then shut, apparently finding and discarding things to say but deciding they were inappropriate.

"Well, it's all settled then," she agreed. "I shall visit Sirius this afternoon, see if he's amenable."

"And I have a smutty chapter to write, if you'll excuse me." Severus nodded to a beaming Dumbledore and an embarrassed McGonagall before he swept from the room. Today, he decided was a good day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to note in the last chapter about White Mountain School of Sorcery. Long before Jo Rowling announced the existance of Invermorny, I created my own American wizarding school. It's location was set deep in the wilds around Glacier National Park and had been founded by the two great wizard explorers, Lewis and Clark. (grin) For many years, Hogwarts and White Mountain had exchange students, etc. as well as links to each other's schools in times of distress as a place for their students to flee for safety. In my imagination, the American Wizarding community was often at war with Skinwalkers and, with it's isolation, occasionally White Mountain would be attacked. Strong magic surrounds White Mountain and it's isolation and high altitude helps as well. Alas I don't think I have my notes on the different houses, sorting ceremonies, staff, extra curriculars and all that I created for it anymore. More's the pity. But yeah, for those that went "White Mountain?" that's where it came from.

The holidays were fast approaching and Remus was ready for them. He decorated Spinner's End with cheerful illuminations both inside and out, as well as festive greenery and even a snowman in the snowy yard that amazed the few neighbors with how 'solidly built and unmelting' it was. He was enjoying his part time work at the Ministry.

He was also discovering that Severus Snape was brightening up his life as well. They met on weekends, occasionally chatting, occasionally shagging, depending on their mood of the moment. Sometimes Remus would meet Severus at Hogwarts, or Hogsmeade, and sometimes Severus would spend an evening at Spinner's End. 

Severus was amused at how taken with the house Remus was. As his hated childhood prison, Severus couldn't stand it but had to admit that Remus was changing the atmosphere of the house from something malevolent to something tangibly homey. He marveled at some change or another that Remus requested permission to do that never occurred to Severus. The request was always granted, as Severus really could care less if the place burned to the ground in a bonfire the likes of which could be seen by orbiting satellites. His writing was comforting and stress relieving, and making him oodles of royalty money that he was socking away as fast as the Gringotts notices to his account were being owled to him.

As cathartic as Severus was finding his writing to be, Remus was reading the latest serial release in The Daily Prophet by Tenebra Tywysog as if it were a guilty, if alarming, pleasure. The serial story was a bit too unnervingly familiar for his peace of mind.

Severus arrived at Spinner's End one Saturday afternoon, exhausted and in need of some Remus-type pampering of his ego and his nerves after evacuating the school of students for the holidays. What he found instead was a paranoid werewolf stalking around the house.

"What's with you?" Severus asked in lieu of a proper greeting, dropping his bags next to the stairs. Remus was all but twitching spasmodically from where he was standing in the sitting room doorway.

"I think I'm being stalked," Remus confessed tersely.

Severus let loose a startled snort of laughter. "What?" he asked in disbelief.

"Or rather we are," Remus modified. "Have you been reading The Knight and the Wizard?"

"The serial story in The Daily Prophet?" Severus shrugged. "Everyone is, Remus. This Tywysog person is making a fortune." 'Indeed he is,' Severus thought gleefully to himself.

"She's following us! She's using us as models for her characters!" The sentences all but exploded from Remus' mouth. His eyes were wide, the amber glinting in the light overhead.

Severus gaped at him for a moment, then grabbed Remus' hand and pulled him into the sitting room. He sat Remus in the werewolf's customary chair, sat in his own and steepled his fingers. "Explain these paranoid rantings, if you please?"

Remus swallowed, nodded, calmed by Severus' demeanor. "You've not noticed any similarities regarding our, um, activities," he flushed slightly, "and the activities of the two main characters in The Knight and the Wizard?"

Severus blinked in surprise. Remus noticed that? 

Remus continued with examples. "Our shag after meeting with Sirius at the Three Broomsticks," he began but Severus interrupted him with a grin.

"You mean our shag _behind_ the Three Broomsticks as Black was heading back to the castle?"

Remus blushed again. "Er, yes. I kept worrying that we'd get caught and you'd get in trouble. That was exactly what Euan was worried about when they tupped behind the inn right before Nicholas returned to the tournament."

Severus shrugged, inwardly chuckling. It had been a fantastic interlude, both in real life and in print. "Coincidence. Many people fantasize of public sex because of the illicit thrill of maybe getting caught."

"But what about when we were walking through that flea market in London last month, holding hands? And that prejudiced old bat confronted us, calling us names and whatnot? Happened to Nicholas and Euan when they were at that bazaar in Acre now that they are on Crusade." Remus shoved a shaking hand through his hair in agitation. "It's like she's following us somehow. Maybe she's an animagus like that Rita Skeeter, unregistered?" His eyes lit up as he thought of something else. "And how does she know how we both like our meat cooked, or that you prefer porter to ale, but I like wine instead of either? Severus, I'm telling you, that woman is using us as her inspiration, spying on us to get her story!"

As Remus spoke Severus' mind began to whirl. Was he using too many details of their lives in his stories? Or was it that Remus knew that Tenebra Tywysog was really Severus Snape and was trying to wheedle him into confessing? Had Black found out somehow and surreptitiously pointed out similarities to Remus to get him worked up as a prank? He leaned his head forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. Either way, Remus' paranoia was obviously out of control.

And the last chapter hadn't even been published yet. Remus was going to completely wig out, as the Muggle vernacular went, when he read it.

"Remus," he began, deciding to confess all. Remus interrupted him.

"I think we should increase the wards on Spinner's End. Fidelius charm maybe?" Remus answered his own question. "No, too many Muggles know this house should exist. Anti-animagus charms, I know they exist. Dumbledore talked about them when we all thought Sirius was an escaped Deatheater."

"Remus-" Severus tried again.

"And no more public sex," Remus charged on, "I mean, where anyone can find us."

Severus scowled. "I am not altering my shagging locations on the possibility that some two-bit hack is following us around to take notes on sexual positions."

Remus paused, looked at Severus and his face took on a hint of shame. "You think I'm going overboard, don't you?"

Severus walked over and cradled Remus' face between his hands. "They are alarming coincidences, but they are just that, coincidence." He took Remus' hand and pulled him in for a brief but heated kiss. "I'll prove it to you," he murmured against Remus' pliant mouth. "Come with me." He tossed Remus his cloak, made sure his own was on securely, and walked them outside to the back garden. 

"Hold tight," he murmured, drawing Remus close and twirling on the spot. They Apparated to a tree by the river. The darkness surrounded them like a heavy ink, the water lapping lazily in against the riverbank. A brief heat wave earlier in the week unfroze the river. Remus peered into the darkness and saw a pier sticking out from the bank.

Severus drew him toward the boathouse a short distance from the pier. "I've been wanting to do this and tonight seems to be the night."

Remus blinked, looked around quickly and leaned to whisper in Severus' ear. "You've wanted to shag me on a winter's night in a boathouse?"

Severus gave a start at Remus' breath warming his cheek and ear in an unintended erotic fashion. "No, no," he laughed. "On a boat in the river at night."

"We'll freeze, Severus," Remus told him flatly, halting. 

Severus, still holding his hand, gave him a tug to propel him forward. "A warming bubble to heat us up and block us from Muggle and Wizard eyes will solve that problem."

Remus' mouth went dry at the thought. 

Severus directed a challenging look at Remus. "Is one of the Marauders getting a yellow stripe down his back?"

"If this shows up in that book, I'll hex you," Remus warned, a smile playing about his lips. He gave Severus a quick kiss and headed for the boathouse. "Let's go."

Severus grinned to himself. He will have to rewrite the scene in the final chapter of the book where the two lovers are reunited in Venice following their disastrous Crusade. Somehow a gondola scene would be more than Severus' werewolf could handle. Either that or it would tip Severus' hand.

Remus was pulling a tarp off the boat when Severus stepped inside the boathouse. It was a luxury gondola, built to look like the kind used by the nobility during King Henry VIII and his daughter, Elizabeth's time. With a long prow and a small, covered seating area in the back, it would be awkward without a proper distribution of weight. It would tip backward if he and Remus stayed in the back, and if they were Muggles.

They levitated the boat into the water and Severus charmed the front end to be heavy enough to handle whatever activities he and Remus got up to in the back. A concealment charm and a warming bubble allowed them to create a little cocoon. Remus charmed the boat to propel itself half a mile down the river and then back. They climbed in and the boat lazily set off down the river.

The two sat wrapped together while the adjusted to the sway of the boat but before long Remus had Severus in a hungry lip lock, tugging at his cloak to get to the skin beneath. His lips trailed down Severus' long throat, nipping here and there to elicit the moans and sighs that he found so enthralling. He feasted on every inch of flesh his questing fingers revealed and Severus gave himself over to Remus' ministrations. Remus needed to feel he was in control tonight and Severus understood.

"You glow in the darkness," Remus murmured. "Like silver."

"At least you know I'm not dangerous to you," Severus murmured back, arching as Remus' hands slipped down his back, nails raking slightly.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Remus chuckled. "You are very dangerous to my heart."

Severus stilled. "What?"

Remus took a deep breath. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Severus. I hope you don't mind?"

Severus pulled Remus back up until they were nose to nose. "Mind? Of course I mind!" Remus blinked, his heart sinking. "I mind that it took you so long to realize it. I've loved you for ages." Remus laughed in response, kissed Severus in relief and continued the exploration of his lover's body.

The river drifted them down, eventually turning itself per the spell's enchantment and drifting lazily back to the pier, despite the current. Within the warm bubble, hidden from both eyes and ears of the silent, dark world around them, they made love, Severus entering Remus with a hard thrust, causing the amber eyes to glaze in ecstasy before sliding out of focus and eventually closing as they moved in the harsh rhythm they favored. As the dock slid into view some distance away, Severus picked up the pace, thrusting his hips and worrying Remus' sensitive spot on his neck with his teeth.

Remus came first, Severus' hands stroking and pulling him, steadily rising his tension to a fever pitch. Severus' completion soon followed, a few quick, hard thrusts finishing the job, accompanied by his hoarse groan of Remus' name. They collapsed, Severus pulling out of Remus' body before lolling on top of him.

'The great thing,' Severus mused to himself in his post-coital lethargy, 'about having a male lover is that they don't complain about your heavy weight when you collapse on top of them when you're done fucking them into the mattress.' He smirked to himself. 'That was a good line,' he thought. "Need to remember that," he yawned.

Remus smiled at him drowsily, pushing a strand of hair where it was straying close to his lover's mouth. "Remember what?"

"That apparently you're game for the unusual locales for lovemaking," Severus noted, even though that wasn't what he was thinking.

Remus chuckled softly and leaned over to give Severus another deep kiss. "I'll make love to you where ever, and whenever, you want, Severus," he told the other man.

Severus arched an eyebrow and leered down at Remus. "I'll remember that," he said and the two cuddled back up again, dozing as the boat rocked gently with the waves, moored magically at the pier.


	6. Chapter 6

"We need to talk." 

Severus glanced up in annoyance as Sirus Black stalked into his home office one Wednesday afternoon. While Harry was away with Ginny for a 'personal holiday', Remus nagged Severus into allowing Sirius to stay for a weekend so the two old friends could hang around. Severus agreed as long as Black promised to understand the concept of 'personal space' and Severus' need for it. Severus had ensconced himself in his private study next door to the front sitting room, a tiny room just large enough to hold a desk, two chairs and the fireplace. He was halfway through the final chapter and it wasn't going well. He'd rewritten it three times already and it still wasn't working right. 

"I'm busy at the moment, Black," he said tersely. "Can it not wait until later?"

"No, it can't," Sirius replied matching the peeved tone Severus adopted. "Remus is out for that emergency meeting with Shacklebolt and that moron in charge of the Werewolf Liaison office. This is our only chance."

With a put upon sigh, Severus set the quill into it's holder, tucked his parchment away, and looked expectantly at Black. The other man was sitting somewhat stiffly in the chair opposite Severus' desk, looking for all the world like a guilty student. "Well?" Severus prompted peevishly.

"He's a paranoid wreck, y'know," Sirius stated bluntly. "He watches that damned paper for each new chapter, certain some hint of what you two have been doing will show up in the latest installment."

Severus' mouth fell open in shock. "Who told you?" he demanded.

Sirius gave a quick, fleeting grin. "No one. I caught you muttering to yourself weeks ago at school about one of the chapters. You didn't even know you were thinking outloud." At Snape's horrified expression, Sirius rushed to add, "I was the only one and to be fair, you thought you were alone."

Severus slumped back in his seat and slapped a hand over his eyes. "Merlin's Beard," he groused. "Is nothing sacred?"

"I asked Dumbledore about it and he confirmed my suspicions." Sirius held up his hands hastily when Snape grabbed his wand with a "I'm going to hex you into next month" look on his face. "I haven't told a soul, especially Moony." Sirius adopted a stern look. "But you're going to have to tell him."

Severus heaved a sigh. "I know, I know."

"Soon, Snape, soon. He's convinced the two of you are being watched." Sirius eyed the irritated Snape for a moment. "How long have you been in love with Moony?"

Severus glared at him. "I beg your pardon?"

Sirius shrugged. "It's not that much of a secret. Once you know who the author is, you start seeing a pattern in the characters and most of the pattern has some link or other to Remus." Sirius ticked them off on his fingers. "Habits, looks, dress, family history, mannerisms, even the color of his hair and eyes. That shade of amber brown irises is unusual for a werewolf, you have to admit."

Severus compressed his lips into a tight line, refusing to comment. Gods, if Black of all people figured it out... "Is it that obvious?"

Sirius pondered the question a moment then shook his head. "Only if you know Remus but Remus is well-known now that the war is over. We all are. Maybe not personality quirks and the like, but he's a public figure now, to his disgust. Someone else is going to put two and two together and get four."

"Damn." Severus tossed a glare at the clock that began chiming four.

Sirius stood up. "He'll be home soon and I haven't started peeling the potatoes. My advice is tell him this weekend. Butter him up. He's still going to be pissed as hell at you but at least you'll have softened the blow a little. And don't," Sirius wagged an admonishing finger in Severus' direction, "use him or you or your interludes in anymore scenes."

Severus shook his head. "I haven't been since he expressed his concerns to me the other day." 

Sirius, looking mollified, exited the study. Severus picked up the top page of his latest chapter, gathered the rest, stared at them morosely and tossed them into the fireplace next to his desk. "So much for getting shagged for Christmas," he muttered to himself.

* * *

Remus cheerfully greeted Severus with an open-mouthed kiss and a wide happy grin when Severus arrived at Spinners End following a quick trip back to Hogwarts at Dumbledore's request. The day before Dumbledore confirmed the appointment of the new Potions Mistress recommended by the American potioneer, Caro Burke. Mary Patry had a broad Cajun accent and a voodoo look to her that Severus thought would scare the crap out of the students, thus intimidate them properly into respecting her. Looks aside, Ms. Patry had an easy going, gentle disposition. She was a hefty black woman, Creole blood she told them archly, and favored the brash, bold colors and fabrics of those who harkened back to their African roots. Dumbledore took to her immediately, McGonagall a bit slower but Severus adored her on the spot. She was no-nonsense, took no lip from anyone and was eager to teach in a completely different culture. 

"Ah'll teach thems and thems teach me," she proclaimed delightedly when she was touring the dungeon classrooms. "Imagine me teaching in a dungeon. Mah mother, she always say I was destined for a dungeon." 

Severus grinned in remembrance of her booming laugh. He looked forward to being at Spinner's End for good with Remus, but dreaded telling him the reason why.

"We have to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow," Remus told him with an excited, yet determined glint in his eye.

"Why?" Severus hung his cloak up. The rest of his belongings would arrive tomorrow.

"Tenebra Tywysog is having a book signing. I want to get a look at her, maybe confront her." Remus looked mulishly determined.

Severus was gobsmacked. "What?" he all but squeaked.

Remus eyed him curiously. "What's wrong with you?" 

Severus harrumphed to clear his throat and gather himself. "Tired," he said, adjusting his robes. "If you insist on making this paranoid pilgrimage, certainly." Inwardly he was raging; what was that idiotic publisher up to?

As Remus bustled around to finish whatever project Severus interrupted by his arrival, Severus ensconced himself in his tiny study to write a scathing letter to his publisher, demanding to know what was going on. The return owl he received later that evening as Remus was putting away various dishes from dinner nearly gave Severus an aneurysm.

No one here at Romantic Lives authorized a book signing. Are you implying that someone has been impersonating some of your correspondence with this publishing house? Please advise what to do tomorrow by fire call.

Yrs.

Tandy Simmons

"Great galloping goblins," Severus groused and put in an immediate fire call after casting a Muffliato and locking door charm of his study.

"Mr. Snape," greeted the impossibly burgundy haired editor at Romantic Lives Publishing.

"I never authorized book signings," he snapped instantly. "You know I value my privacy regarding this matter."

She paled. "Oh dear," she murmured, sinking down to the hearth rug, face growing pale. "This is a problem. We didn't either. I just saw the advertisement this morning and was wondering what was going on."

"You don't say?" Severus drawled laconically. 

Tandy rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly and Severus felt sorry for her for about half a second. "I'll think of something. What a disaster. I should have fire called you immediately when I saw the ad in The Daily Prophet." She gathered herself and a steely glint in her eyes emerged. 

Severus suppressed a smug grin. She had been a fifth year student when he began teaching and a seventh year when he took over as the head of Slytherin House. She was a determined Slytherin through and through, despite her unorthodox occupation.

"Can you be there tomorrow at Flourish and Blotts? I think we should expose this impostor for the fraud he or she is in front of everyone." She gave a quick, sheepish grin. "Without revealing who you are, of course."

Severus grinned. "What a coincidence. I planned on a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow." They shared identical, Slytheriny grins.

* * *

The mob around Flourish and Blotts was easier three times the number that congregated when former publishing star Gilderoy Lockhart blessed the store with his presence several years ago. Remus and Severus arrived early enough, they thought, to get a decent place in line and was still several lengths back. Severus managed to catch the arm of a passing F&B sales representative who was attempting to get everyone in some semblance of a line, whispered something in his ear that Remus didn't catch and sent the man scurrying away. A few minutes later, a woman in her early thirties approached them, waving.

"Professor! Professor Snape!" 

Severus drew himself up to his full height and nodded regally at her. "Miss Simmons, how are you?"

"Excellent, sir. Good to see you. Please, come this way. I owe my former Head of House much for my current position, so please, as my guest, join me." The woman beamed a smile at Remus as well, encompassing him in her goodwill. 

Remus smiled tentatively back but shot Severus an inquiring look. Severus shrugged noncommittally. "She's Slytherin," was all he said. Remus nodded. Severus didn't need to elaborate. House alliances ran deep even after students left school. 

They joined Miss Simmons inside the store, to Remus' relief, as it started snowing outside and the day was turning grayer. Severus and his former student conferred in whispers for a moment and Severus reared back in surprise. Miss Simmons looked angry. 

"What is it?" Remus asked, peering around for the author's table, but finding it empty.

"The elusive Tenebra Tywysog is actually the niece of Rita Skeeter, Eva Skeeter," Severus reported grimly. Remus' mouth dropped open in shock. "I know, it does turn the stomach, doesn't it?" Severus continued, noting Remus' reaction.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" There was an immediate lull as Mr. Blotts, of 'Flourish and' ignominy, began to shout his introduction of the popular author. "I wish to welcome to Flourish and Blotts the popular authoress of Destiny's Moon, The Scent of the Wolf and the first two installments of the Wands of Love trilogy, part three due out this February, may I present Eva Skeeter-"

There was clapping, cheering, and a clamoring of feet, drowning out the rest of Blotts' introduction. People pressed forward to get a better look at a white teeth dazzling smile that was the only bright spot on the form of an otherwise mousy wallflower of a woman. She looked nothing like her aunt, Severus noted with a sneer.

When the furor died down enough that she could be heard, Miss Skeeter said in an oily tone that Severus had to admit was well-done, "Thank you, Mr. Blotts, I am proud to finally reveal myself to the public at large." She tittered. "I do hope everyone will forgive my nom de plume deception. It was perfect for generating the right buzz to get everything started."

There were many forgiving laughs and the shop staff began herding people into line for autographs.

Remus rolled his eyes, grabbed Severus' hand and tugged. "I've seen enough, let's get out of here."

Severus shot him a sideways look. "I thought you wanted to confront her?"

Remus snorted derisively. "What that woman knows about sex period, let alone what two men do to each other, could fill a thimble. She's not the real author, but an imposter."

Severus stared at him in surprise. "How do you know?"

He received a scornful look in reply, an expression not often seen on the mild-mannered countenance of Remus Lupin. "Take a close look at her 'sample copy' she autographed." Severus stepped forward a couple steps and began to laugh.

"She can't even spell the last name correctly," Remus explained to the few inquiring glances sent their way at Severus' loud amusement.

"What?" demanded a small, paunchy witch who resembled a squat teapot with her hat forming a rather silly feathered spout.

"Miss Skeeter, how do you pronounce your nom de plume's last name?" Remus called with false cheer. "We've got a bet on it!"

She scribbled her signature with a bunch of curlicues on the book she was currently holding, eyed them curiously but complied gamely. "Tywysog, just like it looks. Long I for the ys." She pronounced with no syllable emphasis and a heavy, guttural G.

Several people in line froze, a couple slammed copies of their books on the floor in obvious pique, and half the line inside the room turned and began shoving their way out the door. There were murmurs of "imposter" and "who does she think she is?" as the disgusted readers stalked away. Skeeter looked alarmed and confused.

"You are aware," purred Miss Simmons, standing next to Severus, "that I know for a fact you are an imposter?"

"How dare you!" Skeeter stood up quickly, knocking books from the table as she did so. She looked slightly panicked at being found out.

"I'm the publisher and the author's agent. I can also pronounce the last name correctly using the proper Welsh." Miss Simmons smirked as she did so. "You couldn't even get the 'sog' at the end correct, dearie. Repeat after me, "Tuh-wuh-sohg". The O at the end is like the word 'so', emphasis on the middle syllable."

There were titters and finger pointing as the young Skeeter, who's face went beet red as she floundered for something to say. Finally she turned and marched to the back door of the shop with a dumbstruck Mr. Blotts staring after her. 

"Mr. Blotts," Miss Simmons barked, causing the bookseller to jump. "Next time you book an author signing, make sure the request is vetted by the agent and publisher and we can verify the author's identity before you let an imposter in front of our readership. I tried to get here early enough to inform Tenebra's readers that he is unable to make the signing due to personal health concerns."

Severus almost groaned with the rest of the disappointed customers but realized that Tandy's drop of gender would fuel the fires even more, making speculation run amok and thus salvage the situation.

"In appreciation for his readers' patience and their time in coming for this occasion, I want the names of every person present. They will receive a free, signed edition by the author of the last book in the Wands of Love series in recompense." More excited buzz filtered through the line and out the door to those waiting in the falling snow. "Please know that Mr. Tywysog," she emphasize the pronunciation to general amusement, "appreciates his audience and hopes that they will forgive him for this incident. It was not of his doing, of course."

"Who is it really then, love?" shouted someone from the back.

Tandy smiled in the direction of the questioner. "That, ladies and gentlemen, is part of the mystery, is it not? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to leave." She gave a cheery wave, shook several hands (and took some smuggled manuscripts handed to her) and tucked her arms in Severus and Remus', sandwiching them between her. "Gentlemen? I'm famished and I'm buying."

Severus grinned at her while Remus looked politely confused but game. "By all means, you're buying." As Remus began parting a path from the leaving customers, he leaned in to whisper, "Mr. Lupin doesn't know and you won't be telling him."

She eyed him in surprise but nodded all the same. He left her to wonder just what he was doing as they went back to The Leaky Cauldron for a dinner.


	7. Chapter 7

Remus felt like he'd been socked in the gut by a prize fighter. Each step he took toward The Leaky Cauldron with Severus and his publisher made the pain a little sharper, the betrayal a bit more obvious. Tandy Simmons was the editor and agent of Severus Snape, aka Tenebra Tywysog. Remus was as certain of this fact as he was that his next transformation was going to hurt like hell.

The hints and clues that dropped in his lap and he blindly missed for almost a year were like stabs to his heart. Him and Severus being used as models, other members of the Order used as models, details of he and Severus' rendezvous', the fact that this woman was awful chummy with her former Head of House...He rubbed his temple with his free hand, trying to massage away the pinpricks.

Remus though of the gondola ride down the river and Severus' certainty that it wouldn't be used in a book. The man probably had to rewrite an entire chapter to avoid using it. Severus and his publisher's smug looks as they ousted the imposter Eva Skeeter from Severus' rightful, anonymous place.

Sirius' slightly confused look when Remus started getting upset about being trailed and used by the author in the books. Sirius knew, Remus realized with a jolt. Dumbledore probably did too. Did everyone but him know? Remus wondered sourly. Probably.

"Remus?" 

He came back to the present to find himself sitting at a corner table with Severus and Miss Simmons. Severus was giving him a concerned, almost alarmed look. "What?" he snapped.

Severus reared back a little at the snap. "I asked what you wanted to drink."

"Fire whiskey and lots of it. Excuse me." Remus slammed his chair back and headed for the loo, leaving an embarrassed Tandy and a now wholly alarmed Severus behind. He slammed open the loo door and charmed it shut and locked. 

Staring into the mirror, what Remus saw was not flattering to his pride. Greying brown hair, worn face, dark baggy circles under his eyes, amber eyes with no roguish twinkle or determined spark, and a grim set to his mouth. 'Real hero material,' he sneered at his reflection. 'No more door mat, no more wool over my eyes. This ends now. I won't be used for someone else's entertainment.'

He banged out of the restroom and easily mingled with the crowd near the bar. The Leaky Cauldron was packed with disappointed Tywysog readers, who were surreptitiously watching Severus and his editor, who were studiously ignoring everyone while they waited for Remus' return. Remus made his way to the front door and exited with a group, skulking into the alley next to the magical inn and Disapparating to Spinner's End's back garden.

He quickly charmed everything he brought to Spinner's End to shrink and pack itself into his trunk, spelled the trunk to Grimmauld Place. He gleefully, if childishly, scrawled floating red letters in the front sitting room that said "I figured it out" before he Apparated to Grimmauld Place. 

The floating red letters were all Severus Snape found five minutes later when he arrived at Spinner's End in a full blown snit at Remus' disappearing act. He stared dumbfounded at the words, his heart sinking to his stomach. All evening Severus sat around the house, wondering how he was going to win back his werewolf's trust.

* * *

"You're barking, you know that?" Sirius glared down at Remus, where the latter was sprawled on a rather purgatorial Tudor style sofa in one of the many sitting rooms scattered around Grimmauld Place. 

"Why?" groused Remus with a baleful glower at the rather dilapidated wainscoting.

"You were happy, if paranoid," Sirius amended, "and getting good shagging, if the goofy grin on your face was any indication. I realize he was a tosser about not telling you but seriously, it's not something that he would find easy to confess. You know that about him more than anyone."

"You knew!" Remus exploded. "Dumbledore knew! Minerva knew! Hell, everyone seems to know but me and I was fucking him!"

Sirius raised his hands placatingly. "Hey, I stumbled on it by purest chance. Dumbledore got him the dang publisher, apparently, by snooping around Snape's desk one afternoon, the nosy geezer. They told Minerva so she wouldn't wonder why he wasn't working at Hogwarts anymore after winter break."

Remus sat up, giving Sirius a suspicious look. "Makes that much, does he?"

Sirius gave a noncommittal shrug. "He found some American woman, she's some Voodoo woman or something, to take over Potions. I kinda like teaching DADA so I got no problem staying. Face it, Severus Snape was never prime teaching material to begin with, Remus."

Remus grudgingly, if privately, agreed with that assessment.

"At least answer his damned owls. He's flooding the place with messages." Sirius tossed the last three received that day on Remus' lap. "I saved the rest in the top drawer of that stupid writing desk in the front room. Only place large enough for them." He paused at the door and added, "Did you know that the serial in the Daily Prophet is on hiatus until next ear and the third book's release date has been pushed back indefinitely? The public is in an uproar. I wonder what he's up to?" Sirius' voice turned pensive. "Actually, I wonder what he's been writing lately?" And on that parting shot, Sirius closed the door behind him, leaving Remus alone with his thoughts and three letters.

Remus opened up the earliest one from that day. It wasn't a letter. It was a chapter.

> For four hours, Bryce paced his cage, waiting for the full moon to begin its painful transformation of his body. Time always seemed to move more slowly on this day, this night of the month. The dungeon bars glistened with the damp typical of an underground cavern and lent to the eerie pall of Bryce's surroundings. Idly, he wondered if his wolf form would find this prison as unpalatable as he did in human guise. He wondered if his lover knew of his alter ego and could ever forgive him for hiding it.

Remus swallowed and lowered the page, unable to read anymore. He stood up, strode to the closed door, jerked it open and headed downstairs to the front room and the writing desk.

* * *

His wards chimed a visitor and Severus cautiously looked out the door's window. A tall, bearded form in bright, cheery purple robes stood on the stoop, hands folded in front of him like he had all the time in the world to wait for Severus to open the door. Instead of testing that resolve, Severus did so.

"Dumbledore," he greeted heavily, making no move to invite his former employer and headmaster inside his rather dreary home.

"Severus." Dumbledore returned the greeting a bit more warmly. Severus ignored the holly tackily charmed to Dumbledore's robe lapel and all over his pointed hat. "It is snowing, quite cold, you're letting in the draft and I've traveled a long way for a Christmas chat. Could you possibly see fit to invite me in?"

Severus delivered Dumbledore a sour look but stepped aside. Dumbledore smoothly edged past and removed his cheery outer robes to reveal a bit less garish blue everyday wear. Severus closed the door. He wanted to slam it but couldn't muster the energy. "I was writing, Headmaster. What do you want?"

Dumbledore turned and looked at him with some surprise. "To spend Christmas with you, of course. I understand you have an empty house once more and that just won't do."

Severus' lips thinned. "You mean you're going to interfere."

"Well, of course I am, dear boy, don't be dense." Dumbledore clapped his hands together delightedly and sauntered into the front sitting room. Remus' sitting room, Severus privately called it. "I started this, in a way, it's only fitting I try and fix it."

"I'm the one who lied. I'm the one who deceived him," Severus said dully, following Dumbledore into the room and collapsing in a chair while Dumbledore lighted the fire. "It was right that he left me."

Dumbledore paused for a half a tic as he settled into Remus' chair. "Has he been reading your story?"

"I haven't been publishing anything, you know that." Severus picked at a loose thread in the old seat cushion, unable to look at his old champion's face for fear of finding pity there.

"I'm talking about the one you've been sending him two or three times a day. Sirius has been spell-copying them and sending the copy to me." Dumbledore paused delicately at the tense look that crossed Severus' normally impassive features. "Don't be angry with him, Severus, Sirius meant well. Whether you believe it or not, Sirius approves of you and Remus together. He has seen, as has everyone, how good the two of you are for each other. He, like I, we are only trying to help."

"I can win him back on my own." Severus leaped to his feet and began to pace the tiny confines of the room.

"And you are doing admirably," Dumbledore encouraged, and then added almost timidly, "but I must confess you have underestimated your opponent in this matter."

Severus turned on him. "What do you mean?"

"He's a Gryffindor," Dumbledore said bluntly. "You know we are sometimes dumb as fenceposts even when the answer is staring at us in the face. You are a Slytherin, despite my sometime misgiving that the Sorting Hat was off on that assignment. I think a more direct approach is in order." At Severus' bewildered look, Dumbledore clucked disapprovingly. "My dear boy, go caveman. Bash him on the head and drag him someplace where you can talk to him face to face. I wouldn't recommend during the night of a full moon, Wolfsbane Potion or no. A bashed werewolf is a rather grumpy one, I'm sure."

Crossing his arms, Severus gave Dumbledore a good glare. "And I'm sure you have the 'perfect spot' all selected, don't you, for this kidnapping?" He airquoted 'perfect spot' as he'd seen some of the local Muggles do, usually when quoting some politician or bureaucrat.

Dumbledore's face beamed at him. "Now you're catching on." He drew a lurid fuchsia envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table that normally held Remus' teapot, cup and saucer. It made a clunk. "Sirius and I booked you rooms for the entire holiday. Shacklebolt has been apprised that Remus is on a private vacation and not to be disturbed. Any questions for Remus will have to wait. You don't have a position to go back to, being a free lance writer of some infamous renown, so if you need to extend your stay there, you have the wherewithal to do it."

Severus continued to give Dumbledore a suspicious look, as if certain the old meddler finally went round the twist. Dumbledore continued to smile passively at him for a few silent minutes, then pulled out his watch, flipped it open. "My, look at the time. It's getting late and you have to make it to Grimmauld Place before 11 this evening."

"And why is that?"

Dumbledore bustled straight out the door and pulled his outer robes on tight, adjusting his skewed hat slightly, the holly waving merrily. "Because Sirius won't be able to convince Harry they need to be out later than that when they have early Christmas breakfast at the Weasleys tomorrow. I suggest you figure out how to 'play caveman'," Dumbledore airquoted the last words, making Severus reluctantly grin, "and drag your werewolf off to have your way with him. It would make a good scene, I should think, though I'd rather not read about it in detail, if you please."

The old meddler toddled out the door, shutting it gently but firmly behind him and was Apparated away before Severus was halfway upstairs to gather some clothing for a trip to where the hell ever Sirius Snooping Black and Albus Busybody Dumbledore was going to be sending Severus Shamefaced Snape and Remus Riled Lupin. He hoped it was someplace warm.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> German assistance by the former Insane Journal user domaris_sky. My original attempt had been so hideous that she had to correct it. LOL! But hey, I learned a little German our of it, so win-win!

Standing in the middle of his bedroom, Severus Summoned the envelope to him to look it over. Such a kidnapping required advanced planning and a lot of cunning, especially with the kidnappee being a former Marauder. His black eyebrows seemed to brush his hairline as read the letters addressed to him from Albus and Sirius:

> Severus,
> 
> While your private novelization regarding the love between a wizard and a wizard werewolf is touching and somewhat autobiographical, you have a disadvantage as you may know, since Remus has been refusing your correspondence. Sirius is attempting to pique Remus' interest in the novelization to give you a running head start, as it were. 
> 
> Enclosed you will find reservations to a quaint resort in the Swiss Alps on the border with Germany. Despite it's rather lurid, yet delightfully colored correspondence, it is a tasteful spot in which to ensconce Remus for a romantic getaway for you to confess your many sins and beg for forgiveness for your unintended deception. The portkey is your room key and will activate once you speak the authorization spell "The love shack is a little old place where we can get together". You may say it in English, German or French as you desire. 
> 
> Best of luck,
> 
> Albus Dumbledore

> Snape,
> 
> I suggest you apologize immediately once you get him there and he's still bound. It gives him one evening to sulk and the rest of the time for you to woo him and beg for forgiveness. I've already got him reading your 'prose' (and I use that term loosely, mind you) so he's softening already. You may thank me later with a large bottle of 25 year old firewhiskey with a bright red bow around it.
> 
> Sirius
> 
> P.S. If you bollocks this I will hex you until your balls turn blue and your hair falls out, got it?

With a sneer, Severus tossed Sirius' letter aside and held up the room key. It was in a clear bag to protect the port key from possible spell contamination, thus negating it's transportation effects until activation. Next he reviewed the reservation information. It seemed that Dumbledore and Black booked the entire holiday prior the holidays, likely in anticipation of two scenarios.

Scenario one would be that Severus managed to haul Remus to the resort with a minimum amount of fuss, if an abundance of sulk, and they would have a one week extra coze.

Scenario two would be that it would take Severus all freaking week to get Remus to cooperate and give them a shorter but still romantic holiday.

"Either way," Severus muttered to himself, "the scenario will end in mind blowing make up sex."

Severus began to pack, tossing appropriate winter clothes willy nilly into his trunk, along with a few 'fun' items he never got around to having Remus or himself use. 'Begin as I mean to go on,' Severus thought determinedly. That done, Severus firecalled Grimmauld Place and got the all clear from a smug Sirius. 

"I'll clear out the place, drag Harry off. When are you coming?"

"Now." Severus' expression turned mulish.

Sirius looked surprised for a moment and then he flashed a fiendish smile. "I'll just gather Harry up for a trip to The Leaky then. He'll balk, but I shall insist."

"Where does Remus spend the majority of his time?"

"Sulking in the upstairs sitting room or in his rooms. They are the same ones he had before. This mausoleum has space to spare, that much is certain." Sirius wrinkled his nose in distaste of his family home and then added, "I'll make sure the trunk I packed for him will be sent when we get back. Less you have to worry about." 

"Consider him kidnapped then. Happy Christmas, don't ask for anything else." Severus arched a warning look when Sirius' look turned angelic.

"Just a really lovesick, sighing werewolf, if you please," Sirius chuckled. "Good luck!"

The fire died away and Severus dusted the ash off his sweater. He followed the directions on the resort brochure on how to get his luggage there and the trunk obligingly disappeared. With soft dark green wool cloak closed about him, the information regarding the resort and the portkey in his pocket, Severus closed up his house for the holidays, stepped outside and Apparated to Number 12 Grimmauld Place in London.

* * *

"Harry and I are going for a pint at the Leaky." Remus looked up and saw Sirius garbed in his dark blue cloak and tatty Gryffindor house scarf from their school days. The alarm bells in Remus' head went off immediately. Sirius had the look of someone 'up to something'. Merlin only knew how often Remus saw that look when they were lads at Hogwarts.

"I'll come with you, that sounds good." Remus stood up to stretch.

"You can't," Sirius said immediately, thus confirming Remus' suspicions that the other remaining Marauder was 'up to something'.

"Why?" the werewolf asked innocently just to watch Sirius' eyes widen in panic.

"Because you always notice when I buy you things when we're out and I haven't gotten your Christmas gift."

Remus frowned. "So who are all those gifts from downstairs under that small forest that you've erected, the ones with tags that say Remus, Moony and The Werewolf of the House?"

Sirius flushed, knowing he was caught. 'When I did become such a horrible liar?' he lamented. "Okay, okay, Harry wants to talk girls and, no offense, Moony, girls aren't your thing." 

A brief flash of hurt flashed across Remus' face but it vanished quickly. "Of course not," Remus said easily but Sirius saw the hurt still in the amber depths of his eyes. "After all, I'm not really family to come to about things in life or anything."

"Oh Moony, I didn't mean it like that," Sirius began with a heavy amount of guilt but Remus waved him off. 

"Go on then. You two have a good time. I'll just sit here and ponder my own shitty love life and rejoice in my lack of loved ones who might turn to me for advice and council."

Sirius' frown grew deeper but Harry's aggrieved voice called up, "Come on, Sirius, before it's gets any colder out there!" He did not sound like a young man eager to go somewhere to talk girls...or anything else. He sounded like someone who anticipated a quiet, warm night at home instead.

Remus looked up to question Sirius again but scowled at the empty spot that Sirius once occupied. The ex-con might not be able to lie to his former Marauder-in-arms anymore but apparently he could still do a runner smooth as you please. Confused, Remus returned to the last few chapters Severus had sent, reveling in the fact that Severus put his 'career' writing on hold to write just for Remus as an apology.

Remus was feeling generous enough to grant forgiveness. He understood Severus' dilemma. The man was intensely private and this was potentially embarrassing on many fronts. Perhaps it seemed silly at first but as time went on and the deception grew beyond the bounds of what Severus believed necessary, it had potential to hurt Remus's feelings. So Severus balked at revealing all again. Love to Severus Snape was something rare. Likely the thought of losing Remus in any way would have made Severus extremely reluctant to tell him, thus making the truth's revelation all the worse, because then Severus punished himself more by Remus' leaving.

Remus tucked the last chapter into it's fine paper envelope and placed it into the box Sirius kept them in originally. He gave a loud sigh and began to stretch, working muscles that were stiff from prolonged sitting. He stood up to twist his spine a bit and froze when a silky voice drifted through the room.

"I never get tired of seeing that." 

He whirled around in time to find Severus' wand pointed at him and a flash of brilliant sky blue light arching its way toward him. Unable to move but to see, hear, smell and feel everything else, Remus stared, petrified, at the ceiling. He tried to blink to focus better when Severus' face swam into view without success.

Severus murmured something and Remus felt his lids relax enough that he could blink. He did so, several times, quickly. The black haired wizard gave a smug grin. "Excellent," he murmured. "One blink for yes, two blinks for no, understand?"

Remus blinked twice.

"I'm kidnapping you, at the behest of one Albus Dumbledore and one Sirius Black. Now do you understand?" Remus wanted to laugh but blinked twice instead, just to aggravate the Slytherin.

It worked. Severus scowled at him. "We're going to have this out, you're going to sulk for one evening, then we will have fantastic, mind-blowing makeup sex at a cozy resort in the Swiss Alps and then we will move you back into Spinner's End where you can turn that pile of antiquated, dilapidated squalor into a palace if you like. _Now_ do you understand?"

Remus figured if he blinked twice this time, Severus would hex him. He blinked once. 

"I thought you might understand that," Severus purred, mollified by Remus' cooperation. He levitated the werewolf upright, pulled out the most godawful purple envelope with the most vile hearts and cupids Remus had ever seen on it. Into Severus' hand dropped a key in a clear bag, which he removed it from. Then, in a grimace of distaste, he muttered, to Remus' incredulity, "The love shack is a little old place where we can get together."

They felt the familiar tug of a port key, eventually landing in a huge open room where, despite the snow falling above them, a giant fur rug of indeterminate creature cushioned their feet. A warm fire crackled in a huge fireplace that would fit Hagrid's hut easily. A short, squat man in leiderhosen and a long-legged set of overalls the same color as the envelope still in Severus' hand, came waddling toward them.

"Herzlich Willkommen im Baude der Liebe!" he proclaimed grandly. "Herr Snape und Herr Lupin?" Severus handed over the reservation stubs, causing the man to all but crow, ""Exzellent! Casanovas Schlafgemach!" He waved to them and Severus unabashedly levitated Remus to an elevator almost as large as the fireplace. With the tap of his wand, the little man sent the elevator in a slow upward motion. "I am Franz," he babbled in bad English. "Please be telling me if need something you have."

Severus suppressed a grin and the urge to use the man as a character in his next book. Remus was blinking rapidly as if sending Morse code blink messages. Severus ignored them and turned his attention back to Franz.

"Room special reserve all holiday, yes?"

"Yes, and maybe longer if possible," Severus added with an almost mean glare of warning in Remus direction. Remus took that to mean 'if my lover doesn't come to his senses and forgive me, I'll hold him hostage until he does.'

Franz nodded vigorously. "Herr Dumbledore told me maybe." The elevator stopped with a jolt and the doors slid open silently. "Come, come." Franz waddled in front of Severus, not fazed at all by the floating Remus beside the lanky wizard. Obviously, Remus thought sourly, kidnappings of this sort were commonplace in the Swiss Alps.

A tiny plaque next to their door proclaimed the room "Casanova's Bed Chamber". Remus wanted to groan but couldn't. Severus did it for them. "Casanova? The famous _Italian_ lover?" Severus inquired with no little sarcasm.

The snark was lost on Franz. "Jah, he stay here many times." The little man nodded vigorously as he waved his wand at a series of blocks. "You pick design, jah?"

Severus left Remus floating in mid air and leaned over Franz to the small design blocks that allowed the room's occupants to dictate how they wanted it to look. There were three options.

One was a vile honeymoon theme that made Severus want to hex the fool that made it an option in the first place. He shook his head vigorously, Franz shrugged and waved his wand to reveal the second option. The tiny miniature room rearranged itself to a more Christmas/winter theme, with holly, pine garlands, wreaths and fairy lights tastefully decorating the room in a cheerful holiday theme. 

"Possibly," Severus stated. It would appeal to Remus' romantical nature.

The last choice of design cinched it, however. Huge canopies in multitudes of jewel tones and luxurious silks draped the walls and ceiling. Though the bed did not change, huge cushions, pillows and rich velvets piled on it and the floor around it. The glitter of gold, silver, copper and bronze bewitched the eye. Severus could almost smell the exotic incense wafting around the tiny demonstration room. "Perfect. That one."

Franz clapped excitedly, murmured an incantation in a guttural language that sounded a mix of French and German. The doors opened and Remus would have gaped in astonishment if he could.

Severus chose a seraglio motif!

"We will be needing some mulled wine, fruit, cheeses, bread and some cold meats, if you can?" Franz was nodding as Severus listed the items required. "There is a bath within?"

"Huge with bubbles," Franz assured him. "All romantic trappings."

Severus gave Remus a wicked smile that made the werewolf want to curl his toes but, being still petrified, was unable to do so. "Excellent," the black haired wizard purred. "If you can have the food and wine delivered, Franz, we will begin unpacking and get settled in."

"Jah, jah. I vill send up food schedules as vell." With a cheery wave at Remus and a bow to Severus, the squat little man waddled back to the elevator and downstairs.

Severus levitated Remus in and shut the door behind them, surveying the room with a pleased smile. "Perfect indeed, wouldn't you say?" Severus smirked as Remus blinked twice.

"You would have preferred the flying cupids, floating hearts and the flowers that spontaneously burst from the rugs?" Remus blinked twice, paused, blinked twice again, paused and blinked twice. 

"Then Arabian Nights is what you get." With a languid wave of his wand, Severus released Remus from his binding. He landed nimbly, shot his erstwhile lover a wary look and then pointed at his throat before making a fist and shaking it at him.

"Tsk, tsk, Remus, patience is a virtue of yours I've long admired." Remus plunged his hands into his robes for his wand only to come up empty. He looked up in alarm to find Severus twirling it in his long fingers. "Do I look completely inept?"

Remus blinked once just to goad him. Severus saw the action for what it was and laughed.

"You may get your voice back once you've heard me out and not a second before." Severus flicked his wand and two chairs with rich cushions of burgundy and gold gilt propelled themselves toward them. "Sit." 

Remus sat, adopting a mutinous expression. He wondered how much of Severus' begging he'd be able to stomach without reassuring the other man of the already granted forgiveness. 

Severus took a deep breath and Remus felt his eyes widen in horror as the words tumbled from Severus' mouth that was a sure sign of the apocalypse. "I'm sorry."


	9. Chapter 9

Remus used wandless magic to Accio his wand from Severus' lax grip and quickly waved it at himself and thought 'Finite Incantatum'. He felt the mute spell lift and blurted, "No!"

To say Severus looked startled would be an understatement. "What?" he all but stammered.

"Don't apologize," Remus stated firmly. "You've already done that."

"I did?" Severus now looked confused. "When?"

"Your private story to me." Remus smiled slightly.

Severus frowned. "No, that was a desperate bid to woo you back so I wouldn't have to apologize."

Remus adopted a casual demeanor that warned Severus that he should not be arguing. "You are mistaken. That was a heartfelt and romantic apology that I was going to accept tomorrow, but you kidnapped me tonight instead." He stared hard at Severus.

Never a slow learner, Severus nodded amicably. "Of course." He hesitated. "I truly didn't mean to hurt you by not telling you."

"I know." Remus smiled again, this time with a mischievous glint that, had he been there, would have made Sirius' hair stand on end. "Now you have to make it up to me."

"That is what this horrific scenario is for." Severus made a grand gesture to encompass the extremely gaudy room.

"You planned this?" Remus was rightly skeptical and Severus rightly abashed at the question.

"Well, no."

"It smacks of Albus or Sirius," Remus began.

"Or both in cahoots," muttered Severus, glaring at a particularly lush purple pillow. 

Remus groaned and lowered his head to his hands. "Oh for the love of Merlin's...okay. This explains everything. This is not in your usual style."

Severus arched a fine black eyebrow. "I have a style?"

"The barge ride down the river at night was quite lovely," Remus noted with a sappy expression. "I was quite swept away."

"And paranoid. I had to rewrite the entire final scene of The Knight and the Wizard as to avoid sending you spiraling into-" Severus broke off when Remus scowled. "I would have preferred Venice," he recovered with an embarrassed cough.

"Indeed." Remus strolled over to the bed and flopped backward on the soft fluffy mattress covered in the softest gold velvet. Severus swallowed. Gold framed his werewolf quite well. His eyes were more deep brown and the brown in his hair stood out more than the grey twisting through the honey brown strands. His skin, still lightly tanned from the browning Remus got over the summer and fall months outside, turned darker still in contrast.

Remus arched an eyebrow at the stone still man just yards away. "What?"

Severus swallowed with some difficulty. "You...you look very striking on that color." Remus grinned at the compliment. "You are a very handsome man, as I'm sure you well know. I wonder sometimes what you see in me."

"Why?" Remus sat up, legs crossed in front of him as he fluffed giant, jewel-bright pillows around him as props. "Because you aren't classic Hollywood handsome like Sirius? Or boy next door good looking like one of the Weasley boys?"

Severus frowned at the well-chosen examples. "Yes."

Remus studied Severus. "Not everyone wants pretty, Severus."

Severus snorted and then jumped when there was a soft tinkling of chimes that filtered around the room. "What the devil?"

Remus laughed. "Probably that room service you ordered from our enthusiastic host."

Severus went to the door and sure enough, Franz wheeled in a large, elaborately carved wooden trolly cart with all the delicacies Severus requested and more. After assuring them that their trunks would be delivered as soon as they arrived, Franz left them to "romantic moments".

Remus stood up, stretched languidly, suggestively before sauntering over to the cart. "Excellent choices, Severus, if I may say. I'm starving and fancy being fed in bed."

Severus glowered at the werewolf's smugness and then gave a chuckle. "I had planned on spoiling you rotten, so we'll compromise. Strip."

Remus choked on a grape he just placed in his mouth. "I beg your pardon?" he gasped.

"I said strip then march yourself into the bath." With that parting shot, he left Remus alone to do as he was bidden. Remus gaped a moment at the bathroom door where he could hear a giant tub being filled and the smell of bergamot and other things that he couldn't readily identify.

Remus stripped. He carefully folded his clothes and placed them on a rather garish looking chair and walked into the bath, where steam was already billowing from the huge porcelain tub like fog. "That thing is big enough for eight people."

"Or one repentant wizard and one frisky werewolf," Severus corrected. "Get in and relax."

Remus folded his arms. "Only if you're coming with me."

Severus hesitated and then nodded. "I have to get the food. Get in."

Remus obliged as Severus went to gather a platter of delicacies. He too stripped and Remus delighted in watching the pale, moon-glow skin revealed. His mouth watered and it wasn't for the chocolate covered strawberries or the still bubbling champagne. "I'm not the only one who's beautiful," he murmured, returning their conversation to it's previous topic.

Severus paused as he tugged his shirt off. "Bubbles are going to your head," he noted. He tossed the shirt aside and stepped into the tub, making sure the platter and glass flukes were within easy reach.

"Why do you deride yourself?" Remus asked, scowling slightly. "As I was saying earlier, not everyone wants pretty on the outside. So you aren't Cary Grant." They both lived in the Muggle world at some point in their lives so Remus knew the reference would not be lost on Severus. "I always preferred the less chiseled featured men anyway."

"No, you like Gene Kelly and Clark Gable as opposed to Cary Grant or Humphrey Bogart," Severus commented. "Gene had the body of a god and Clark Gable had the charisma of one."

"You are handsome, Severus Snape. There is no one to compare you to because there is no one who can compare." Remus leaned forward and slopped a bubble on Severus' nose.

"Big nose, eyes as black as his hair, pale skinny body, yes I'm a dreamboat." Remus grinned at the disgusted description.

"Ringo Starr has a big nose and he was one of the favorite Beatles," Remus noted. "And your eyes and hair colors are very exotic, very non-British, so I don't see an issue there. As for your skin," he murmured as he ghosted his hands down Severus' slender legs resting next to his own stockier ones, "I find I like the porcelain look. You are delicate looking, Severus, but I know it's deceiving. There is nothing delicate about you and it just adds to your mysterious..." He snapped his fingers, splattering them both in frothy bubbles. "That's it! You're the dark, mysterious type!"

Severus gave him a disbelieving look and then shrugged. Who was he to argue what Remus found attractive about him, as long he did find Severus Snape attractive? He instead reached over and plucked some red grapes still on their stem from the platter and scooted over next to Remus. Alternately plopping grapes in his and Remus' mouth, they relaxed in the frothy steam, charms on the tub maintaining water's soothing heat. Cheese, bread and champagne followed, along with an occasional teasing of Remus with the dark chocolate dipped strawberries.

"Mmm." Remus sunk to his chin in the water once they'd slaked their stomachs' hunger. His hands drifted over to pull Severus in tighter. "Much better. I'm not quite so hungry anymore."

Severus arched an autocratic eyebrow. "I feel evidence of a different sort of hunger, however, so I'll have to call you on that." Remus laughed. Severus toyed with the soft brown hair curling on Remus' head from the steamy heat of the room. "Do you forgive me?" he asked hesitantly. Remus gave him a warning look and started to rebuke him but Severus shook his head, stopping the words. "I never meant to cause any humiliation. When I started those books, they were meant for me only. Stupid little fantasy, a way to ease my stress, both physical and mental." 

Remus gazed at his formerly estranged lover. A confessional from Severus Snape was a rare thing indeed. He wore his snark and prickly temper like a knight wore plate armor. It was all Severus had between himself and a world that rarely was kind or considerate toward him.

"I thought once the war was over, and I miraculously survived, the stress and the strain would be gone." Severus made a wave with his hands and bubbles cascaded in all directions. "I wouldn't feel so confined, that I would be free."

"Yet you don't appear to have felt so," Remus concluded. "Why?"

"Because my whole life centered around Lord Voldemort in some fashion or form." Severus heaved a sigh and snuggled down, holding Remus to him tighter like the werewolf was his life line. "As a stupid, impulsive, gullible youth I thought he was The Answer. I thought he was The Future. When he killed the only friend I thought I had and joined him to protect, even though my own actions lost her long ago, I clung to the idea of vengeance for her memory. Dumbledore was so certain that Voldemort wasn't defeated, that he would rise again. He was right, as always," Severus added with a derisive twist of his lips. "So between Voldemort's fall and rebirth, I was in limbo, waiting for the moment I could be something again, to do something again. I existed but I wouldn't allow myself to live."

Remus tightened his hold around Severus, anger at Severus' own sense of honor and justice as well as everyone who took advantage of him welling up like a flood. He said nothing as Severus continued.

"Voldemort rose once more and I was a man of action. Nothing, no one would stand in my way. Every move I made was calculated, every thought that passed through my brain was examined, reexamined and then executed. I had no intention of surviving, Remus." Severus looked up and saw the chiseled, harsh lines that Remus' features became. "I wanted to die in a blaze of glory so magnificent that everyone would know exactly what I did and why I did it. It would be talked about for ages, the sacrifice I made for the 'glorious cause'. "

"You lived."

"I know. I was most disappointed." Severus gave an idle shrug that made Remus' blood start to boil. How dare his Severus consider his life so trivial!

Remus turned, reached up and grasped Severus' lean face with both hands. "You survived," he repeated more sternly. "You don't have to exist anymore. You can live however you want, with whomever you want, where ever you want. I do not want to hear you speak about your life and your sacrifices so trivially ever again." Brown eyes warred with astonished black ones before Severus nodded solemnly. "Go on with your story."

Severus eyed him another moment, as if expecting another outburst and then continued. "Once the war was over, I didn't know anything else but Hogwarts and teaching and being a spy. So I stayed, but without a reason to stay it grew tedious and dull. There was no challenge, no spice, so one night, on a whim, I started scribbling my fantasies down as a stress relief."

Remus chortled. "About me?"

"Not at first," Severus confessed slyly, "but quickly enough, yes. I'd always fantasized about you, even at school and especially after I found out you were a werewolf. As you know," Severus palmed Remus' balls teasingly, "I like dangerous things." Remus sucked in a breath at the arousing touch. "Eventually scenes turned into chapters and chapters into a book. I was so afraid someone would come across the material I was writing, I started carrying it around with me. I got careless one time and Dumbledore found some rewrites, copied them and sent them to an old friend of his. That woman, in turn, put me in contact with Tandy, who was a former student of mine, who was at first aghast that I was the author and is likely my biggest fan. She voraciously edits everything and makes sure I'm on track. She even owls me with notes cheering on some character or another as she reads them." He smiled slightly. "She gave it away, didn't she, that afternoon at the so-called signing?"

Remus grimaced. "That's what clicked for me, but if I'd paid any attention I would have put it together much sooner. I mean," he added casually, languidly smoothing his hand down Severus' milky white, sinewy chest, "who would have considered Severus Snape as the writer of homoerotic romance novels?"

Lust glittered in the black depths of Severus' eyes and he leaned forward, lips nearly touching Remus as he whispered, "Indeed." He brushed Remus' lips once lightly with his own. "I am truly forgiven?"

Remus surged forward and fused their mouths together. They broke apart long enough for Remus to inform his lover archly, "If you ask that again, I'll hex you."

By the time they were done there was water and bubbles in more than just the tub. It was all over the floor in the bathroom, the bedroom, along the wall to the bed and in the bed. "Sturdy bubbles," was all Severus would comment as he eased himself into Remus.

"We really must find out where they get them," Remus gasped, his head thrown back and his hand around his cock, giving it slow strokes.

"Please, allow me." Severus knocked Remus' hand away and took over the delightful job of bringing his werewolf to an exhaustive completion before surging one last time himself, spent and happily content.

They laid there for a good portion of ten minutes, heartbeats returning to normal and a fair amount of jockeying for who had prime snuggling spots against the other, before one of them spoke again. "So," Remus asked with mock casualness, "how does the story end?"

Severus arched an eyebrow. He had Remus snuggled against his chest, the crisp honey brown chest hair tickling his ribs in a satisfying way. "Which one?"

"Both? Either? Does it matter?" Remus chuckled. "They are both about us in some fashion anyway, right?"

"I believe the common scenario is 'and they lived happily ever after'," Severus mused teasingly.

Remus slapped him on the flat of his belly, causing Severus to start. "I meant is someone floating down a Venetian canal on a boat bubbled from the outside world for a mad shagging?"

"Oh that ending!" Severus grinned. "I can be persuaded, if my muse seems to think it's a necessary ending."

Remus leaned up and met Severus' lowering mouth for another deep kiss. "Your muse thinks it very necessary."

Severus' grin widened. "And then they lived happily ever after?"

"In a delightful house named Spinner's End."

Severus grimaced. "Too obvious and boring. How about 'Weaver's Place'?"

"That's not obvious or anything," Remus laughed. "But who am I to argue?"

"You aren't," Severus countered. "Now shut up and kiss me."

"I do love a happy ending," Remus quipped and obliged.


End file.
